you'll end up calling her babe / she's scorching hot enough to hit save (for ~testygirl)

[onepromise]

There's something about the old district that brings Mai an odd sense of comfort. Perhaps it's the twisting alleyways and the old stone streets that rise and descend as one makes their way around Gion, or the vibrant willows that loom over the canals and flank the traditionally-styled buildings. In all of these ways, it really just reminds her of her sprawling family estate, where not a lick of modernity makes it past the front gates. For all of the complex feelings she has for that place, Mai still doesn't stray far from home, electing to stay in Kyoto while her sister traipses around Tokyo like some kind of hot-shot in the big city.

At the end of the day, the two of them lead completely separate lives. Maki has no idea-- probably doesn't even care-- that Mai even goes out on dates. First dates, mostly. She can usually only stomach one before something inevitably sours-- the other person ends up being too boring, too annoying, or too intimidated by her to really hold their own. That's fine. They probably have some kind of feedback about her, too, but by the time it really matters, Mai tells herself that she's lost interest. And that's fine, too. Dates are a little distraction from the things in her life that she hates, but relationships are a whole other deal. Definitely more effort than she feels like putting into anything, really. Or maybe that's just another thing she tells herself.

This is a first, though, being presented with the choice of either a fight or date. This Aira girl-- who was very insistent that Mai get her name when she had needled one of her classmates for her phone number-- is a real breath of fresh air, isn't she? It's not everyday that Mai has to contend with an ego like that, and maybe any other day she might've just gone with the former option just to put her in her place for it.

If Aira's little threat was anything to go by, though, a fight might still be on the table-- but Mai actually put enough thought into her outfit for this ice cream date that messing it up in some dumb tussle would probably piss her off even more. It's rather cute, this little number she picked out. Mai accessories it rather simply-- an unadorned white headband, strappy white sandals, and her trusty white parasol to stave off the afternoon rays from her skin. Obviously, she admired herself quite a bit before heading out. She wouldn't normally wear something so bright, especially not for a first date, but Aira talked a big game and Mai was loathe to be shown up by a girl like her. Besides, it gives her a far more eye-catching appearance than her dark, drab uniform-- even if she does make it look pretty good.

It's still early in the afternoon by the time Mai finds herself outside of the ice cream parlor, nestled amongst the old-fashioned buildings on this particular street. She's the first to arrive, but that's how she likes it. It gives her the chance to practice the cool expression she wears on her face, a blend of feigned disinterest and mild haughtiness. As anticipated, there's a sizable line of people waiting for their turn to order. Some of them are tourists, mostly out-of-towners with a smattering of foreigners sprinkled in. Not that it really matters much to Mai, who keeps her eyes peeled for an easy mark. There are a few contenders, guys who don't really need ice cream more than she does, in her opinion. Pushovers, when it comes down to it, which is fine by her. She'll wait, though, for her partner in crime to arrive before striking-- if Aira is still up for it.

Until then, she'll take the time to type out a quick couple of texts:


waiting outside

hurry up
some guys are trying to hit on me


She's lying, of course! Anyone who has dared to look her way with more than a passing interest has been met with an icy stare, so far-- once again, her resting bitch face comes in handy. No one needs to know that she's feeling that rare tickle of impatience for her date to arrive. Mai really only sends this message to Aira out of a not-so-subtle attempt to get her to rush over, maybe see her a touch flustered, though she won't count on it too heavily. It's still within the hour before they're supposed to meet, but in Aira's own words, they are burning daylight...

It's all right. Maybe she can try figuring out why patience is such a virtue. Or not!

Comments

[testygirl]

They say that nervousness and excitement are two sides of the same coin. Aira would never admit to being nervous, but this giddy anticipation doesn't feel so bad at all. Back she when put all her effort into being the sweetest and most popular girl in school, plenty of boys had asked her out, but she'd rejected them all and hardly felt a thing—though she made sure to let them down easy, of course.

Until Takakura, no one had ever managed to catch her attention. It's silly and perhaps even ridiculous that she fell so hard for him right away, but he was so sweet, brave and selfless that it seemed like a dream. What other boys compared? It felt like she had to have him, and in the meantime, she was too obsessive and selfish to notice who he really had eyes for. And, naturally, it hurt like hell once he worked up the courage to set things straight with her.

Aira had cried herself to sleep that night. Then, for a day or two affter, she'd felt untethered and listless. But soon enough, she recognized that it was stupid and useless just to feel sorry for herself. That untethered feeling bloomed into an empowering sense of freedom. What exactly was stopping her from finding someone else? She was Aira Shiratori: fashionable, gorgeous, badass. If the losers at her school didn't cut it, then she had the rest of Japan—nay, the world!

Her dad often went to Kyoto on business, and Aira had gone with him a handful of times—though not recently, until this weekend. Things had calmed down on the supernatural/alien front, so hopefully her friends could keep themselves out of mortal peril for a few short days. Aira had tried to keep her expectations realistic with regards to landing a date during those same short days, but she'd been snared by this Mai girl in barely a heartbeat. First her looks, and then her attitude. Clearly, Aira craved the challenge. She wanted to impress this girl, to keep her attention, and maybe even get a chance to sweep her off her feet.

Getting ready turns into a bit of a frenzy. The hour or so barely gives her enough time to rush back to the ryokan where they're staying, then get changed, then grab a bus to the ice cream place. Aira antsy and practically vibrating in her seat during the entire ride. As for her outfit: she has on a white belted dress with some subtle lace patterning and a modest neckline; a light, faded blue jacket with short sleeves; low heeled sandals; and a dark, wide-brimmed hat tied with a ribbon.

She gets off the bus about a block and a half away. Then, instead of approaching normally, she dips into a little space between shops and peeks one eye out to survey the scene. It's, uh, so she can calm down and prepare herself a bit? Who knows, but her heart does feel like its beating way too fast. That's when her phone buzzes, and she slips back a bit into the alleyway to answer.

seriously??
i'll punch them if they don't gtfo

but chill, i'm close

Then Aira peeks out a again. She spots Mai this time—first registering how cute she looks in that sailor dress, and noticing second that there are no boys to speak of. Hm, now what's that about? Aira retreats once more, and with her back flush to the cool wall, she silently counts to thirty. Then she takes a deep breath, and... onward! Hopefully Mai won't catch the exact moment where she slinks out from the gap between buildings before making her presence known.

"Hey!" She approaches with a wave and a bright, confident smile. "Jeez, did you scare those boys off already? Guess that's no surprise."

[onepromise]

The second that Mai's phone vibrates in her hand, her fingers tap at the screen to pull up Aira's reply. Oh, good, that's the kind of answer she likes! It's nice to have her date act a touch possessive from the get-go. Just like Aira, Mai more than enjoys feeling special. None of that 'Oh, no! I'm so sorry!', or any of those other dumb platitudes that she's heard before. It definitely bodes well for a first date. Poor, hypothetical guys-- Mai almost wishes that they were real so she could watch the show.

Though, Aira's close, now, is she? That could mean anything, from five minutes away to just a street over. It's vague enough that Mai will just be on higher alert, scanning the groups of people milling about for this 'S+ tier girl.' A shrill laugh from one of the tourists draws her attention away for a moment, a soft scoff on her lips, and when she finally looks in the direction of some shops across the street, she spots the stand-out girl she's been waiting for. Strange, how she didn't notice her before-- Mai has a sneaking suspicion, but it doesn't matter all too much when Aira finally approaches with enough confidence to put all of those other first dates to shame. Lovely.

"Huh? Oh, right-- they hightailed it out of here pretty quickly. They looked like they were about to short-circuit when I told them that I was waiting for my girlfriend."

Oh, Mai. Part-time liar and full-time troublemaker that she is, it wouldn't be a stretch to say that she wanted to give Aira a proper taste of her mischief now that they're face to face. They're far from official, of course, but what's the harm in a little teasing? It's just a little something to break the ice while Mai gets a proper look at her date. With her sweet face and nice figure, it's plenty obvious that Aira isn't all talk. Mai remembers rolling her eyes when Kasumi, who way too readily handed out Mai's number, pleaded for her forgiveness by insisting, 'She's cute, Mai! Like, really, really cute!'.

So, she might actually consider pardoning her friend. For now, she'll return Aira's smile with a tiny one of her own.

"My friend was right-- you really are cute."

And, of course, she remembers that Aira herself had been touting her own good looks as one of her many shining qualities. Well, it's nice to see that she's honest, even if Mai likes to indulge in a white lie every now and again. She's sincere, though, about this compliment. And even if Aira totally seems the type who would get dozens of them just by existing, a compliment from Mai Zen'in is worth quite a lot.

[testygirl]

Bless Kasumi. If this all goes well, maybe Aira should send her some flowers. Or at least a thank you text?

For all of Aira's confidence—she knows she's cute, and duh, so does everyone—Mai is still able to grab the quick upper hand. It's a few things: first, that bit about waiting for her girlfriend has the desired confounding effect; second, the sincere praise strikes a bullseye right through Aira's chest. Because yes, the fact that it comes from Mai Zen'in adds a lot of weight.

Because third, Mai Zen'in is gorgeous. She has an amazing figure, deeply pretty eyes, and her hair is even nicer up close and in person. If it was appropriate, Aira would be happy just to stare for a minute or five. But she can't—she absolutely needs a snappy retort, or some other way to recover.

"Well y-yeah, of course. I told you, didn't I? I mean, but look at you. I'm kind of speechless."

One little stutter isn't too bad, all things considered. Oh, and thankfully, she just thought up a counterattack. Aira scrunches her face a bit and pretends to look around for any trace of these made-up boys. After a few seconds of that, she stops and settles her eyes on Mai's again—looking up, since Mai appears to have something like 5 to 10 cm on her.

"They might still be gawking somewhere? Maybe you should kiss me, so you don't look like a fraud."

The corner of Aira's lip curls up, tauntingly. She doesn't think Mai will do it, but her heart is still pounding like she might.

[onepromise]

"Just 'kind of'? And here I was, hoping I'd take your breath away, Aira."

While she's had a good idea that it would be like this from the beginning, Mai is finding it all too entertaining to tease Aira in person. It helps that this girl can hold her own well enough-- and she has a little bit of sweet-talk in her, too, it seems. Flattery gets you everywhere, after all. And so does some serious nerve, with the way that Aira suggests a kiss, of all things.

"Hmph, and give them even more of a show? Don't be ridiculous."

And one would think that, after hearing a suggestion so ridiculous, Mai would roll her eyes, turn on her heel, and hurry the two of them towards what they came here for. But no, she feels like a challenge has just been posed to her. Mai, a fraud? Something about this irks her, and she has no problem showing Aira that she's absolutely the real deal.

Tilting her parasol in such a way that it conceals the two of them, Mai leans in and presses her lips to Aira's cheek, close to the corner of her mouth. It may or may not linger for a beat too long, but who's going to complain? Maybe some nosy onlooker who feels totally robbed of the view, no thanks to Mai's parasol.

She pulls back with one very self-satisfied smile on her face, and looks rather eager to see if Aira has lost any of her cool.

"If you want a real one, you'll have to earn it."

The day is still young-- plenty of time for them to use their imagination and think up a fair trade.

[testygirl]

Aira also hates the idea of deliberately providing some losers with a titillating performance, but still, it feels slick to dare Mai knowing that there are no gawking boys. 'Fraud' was a deliberate choice of words, too; she figured it was the kind of goading that Mai might take personally.

So what a shame that Mai is able to turn the tables right back, protecting their privacy with the parasol and placing her kiss in just the right spot. Aira tilts her head back a bit to receive it, which helps to get the brim of her hat out of the way.

But damn. There goes her breath for real. A shiver runs down her neck, then shoots along to her fingertips and toes. Who wouldn't lose their cool after that? There's a warm residual tingling on her cheek, and Aira is forced to turn a quick one-eighty. She makes a face, really scrunching it this time, then draws in a sharp breath.

It takes a few seconds, but by the time she glaces back over her shoulder, she can give Mai a natural, relaxed-looking smile. Her face is flushed—she can feel the heat—but that was good, and there's no hiding all the evidence.

"Jeez, you're the ridiculous one. You actually just did that! I mean..."

She trails off with a little laugh. "It's not like I really wanted to give anyone a show! So, good thing you brought the extra shade. Now let's pick out some dupes who'll give us their spot in line, huh?"

[onepromise]

It goes without saying that they've both met their match. Aira can draw her line, dare Mai to cross it-- and she will, every time. There are instances when indulging in her competitive streak is more effort than it's worth, but Aira's smooth recovery and sharp retort are just more proof that they're evenly matched enough for this to be enjoyable.

"Oh, sorry." She's very much not sorry. "You just didn't strike me as the type of girl who'd bother dating 'frauds'. Guess the pickings back at home are pretty slim, huh?"

And yes, she's still hung up on that label. It's not to the point where she'll let dampen her mood-- especially not with that precious look on Aira's face after losing her own little challenge-- but she'll keep it in her back pocket with all of the other little barbs she's definitely taken too personally.

That's all right, though. She could let off a little steam by messing with a couple of suckers, right? There are a few of contenders who catch her eye, boys close enough in age to them and farther ahead in the queue. The pair near the front seem to be the more chatty type, but there's a trio several customers behind who would definitely give up their place to Mai and Aira, no questions asked.

"Well? What do you think? This is gonna be too easy."

[testygirl]

Aira is of the same mind; Mai's own barbs definitely prick at her pride, but all the same, she's really enjoying the back-and-forth. Responding to the latest, Aira raises her eyebrows, then she affectionately jostles Mai's shoulder sidelong with her own.

"You're right, I wouldn't! Obviously it's called having standards."

It should go without saying: Mai calling her earlier bluff like that is not fraud behavior. And yes, the pickings are slim, but that isn't her fault? She'll just have to give that one to Mai. Besides, if there was anyone left at her school that Aira had interest in, then she probably wouldn't be out on a date right now with an absolute 10. Why even complain?

As for their pending spot in line, Aira scrutinizes the patrons, then zeroes in on the chatty pair. Yep, they'll do, and it's extra convenient that they're right near the front.

"Mhm, easy-peasy. C'mon."

In an effort to keep Mai on her toes, Aira marches right up close to where their marks are standing. She observes the length of the line, huffs loudly, then looks back at Mai with a pout.

"Maiiii." She adopts a louder, more saccharine voice. "Oh my god, you didn't tell me there'd be such a long line! We're gonna have to wait for, like, an hour. No way."

Her tone is exaggerated, but the disappointment sounds 100% genuine. So, how is Mai's improv?

[onepromise]

Following where Aira's attention travels, Mai is only mildly surprised that she doesn't go for the mousier trio. They're obviously trying not to glance in the girls' direction, probably already nervous from breathing the same air as a pair of stunners like them. Though when she really thinks on it, there's not a whole lot of fun to be had when it's that easy, is there?

She'll silently commend Aira for having an appetite for a little challenge, something to say that she's earned herself this sweet treat after all is said and done. Because, really, no one wants to wait in a line this long, so why not go after a plum spot when it's right in front of them? Time to secure them a win...

"Ugh, we really can't catch a break today, huh?" Likewise, Mai injects some dramatics into her response, and plasters a frustrated look on her face as she eyes the line pretty obviously, herself. "I mean-- first, you get stood up by that dumb loser, and now I can't even salvage the day for you before your train leaves."

Okay-- so her improv involves throwing Aira under the bus and fluffing up her own ego, just a little. But is that so bad? Everyone knows that a small sob story is one of the sure ways to get sympathy from some do-gooder. Confident guys, especially, won't back off from a chance to swoop in and help out a pretty girl in need. And when Mai locks eyes with one of their targets, she can already see the wheels turning in his head. Perfect. Don't be a fool, she thinks, can't you see how distressed Aira is?

"Guess we'll just have to try this place out next time you visit. Sorry, Aira."

To cement her image as one very apologetic friend, she wraps her arms around Aira in a hug, turning her face away from the boys in line-- but only because she's having a hard time keeping her scheming smile at bay. Oh, well! No one ever said she was an expert at this kind of stuff.

[testygirl]

Mai really is a first-class troublemaker, isn't she? Adding extra stakes and a sad backstory is pretty brilliant. At the same time, she almost manages to make Aira squirm not once, but twice—first by inventing a scenario where she got stood up, and second with the surprise hug. Through both, Aira is barely able to keep up her act.

Vaguely, it occurs to Aira that messing around with a girl like this might end up being bad for her heart. It's only a small voice in her head, though. She's taken on murderous spirits and evil aliens, so how bad can Mai be by comparison?

... Well, unfortunately, it presents a very different sort of danger. Still, now isn't the time to get caught up in anxious introspection. That isn't her style! And delicious ice cream awaits once they finish fooling these saps.

"Ugh. I can't believe guys can be such big jerks..."

She appears to wilt in Mai's arms, sighing and hanging her head. At the same time, she's able to surreptitiously angle her elbow and give Mai a little jab to the side of her stomach. In the meantime, she doesn't look directly at their targets, but she can hear one of them murmur something to the other. Then they nod in unison, and one of them steps up to make the desired offer. Easy as that.

Aira ends up excitedly squeezing Mai's forearm, immediately perking up.

"R-Really? Are you two sure? That's so sweet, thank you!"

[onepromise]

Despite Aira's inner turmoil at Mai's audacity and what that bodes for her poor little heart, she does pretty well at making the hopelessness of their made-up scenario seem believable with her sad grumbling. That quick jab of hers against Mai's side earns her a stifled snort, but Mai smooths her expression quickly enough to face the fellow who is so generously offering to give them his spot in line. The best she can do is raise her eyebrows in surprise, preferring to let Aira take center stage with her renewed enthusiasm.

It's catchy, of course, and the young man grins, so proud that he gets to be the one to brighten up Aira's day.

"Well, I don't want you thinking that all guys are big jerks!"

God— that's so sappy that Mai has to bite her tongue to keep herself from laughing in his face for it. He really thinks that he's some hero for this, huh? Good thing he has no clue that he's dancing right in the palm of their hands. What he doesn't know won't hurt him, right? And he can go ahead and chalk this up as his one good deed for the day, probably.

The exchange of places is made, brief pleasantries are traded, and Mai swiftly forgets the names of this pair as soon as they're given. Once they finally turn to walk off, Mai sneaks a look over at Aira, wearing the smuggest smile ever.

"Our luck really changed for the better, huh?"

Now, they're only two customers away from being able to place their order, so Mai tilts her head up to peer at the menu to decide on what combination would really hit the spot after their little stunt. All the while, her shoulders are trembling slightly from the laughter she's doing her best to hold in. It would be pretty bad if all of the people behind them found out that the two of them lied to skip the line. Oh, well! Maybe she wasn't being completely dishonest, and really did want Aira to have a nice day— though at someone else's expense.

"I know what I want." Of course she does. Mai picks one of the more pricey parfaits, and the look she gives Aira shows that she knows she's worth it. "What about you?"

[testygirl]

As they say: don't hate the player, hate the game. Meaning Aira doesn't have any scruples when it comes to manipulating dumb boys, and she has enough experience to do it while keeping her deeper emotions in check. Not that Mai is making it easy, by any means. If her feelings do end up blossoming, then that's when things could get messy—like with Takakura.

In any case, she can tell that Mai is still having some trouble holding in her mirth. Standing in line side-by-side, Aira keeps a hold on her arm, then squeezes once she feels the tremble of her stifled laughter. Gals just being pals can still be touchy like this, right? That's what suits their ruse at this point, anyway.

Responding to Mai's smug smile, Aira keeps up the bright-eyed act. Her pleased little giggle has an innocent quality that ought to fool any snoopy eavesdroppers.

"Yeah!" she exclaims. "That was so nice of them."

She glances at the menu, though earlier, she decided she really wanted a classic hot fudge sundae, with nuts, sprinkles, and a cherry on top. That desire has held, and as promised, she also pays for Mai's fancy parfait. They might not have had to wait all that long, owing to their deftly executed ploy, but the final bit of anticipation still hits. Aira digs in as soon as she gets her sundae, but also makes sure that her first bite has a little bit of everything on the spoon. Then she hums with genuine glee.

"Mm mmmm, it's so good! Hehe."

She beams at Mai, then scoots farther out from the line before helping herself to another big bite.

[onepromise]

No one ought to think anything too strange of the way Aira grabs onto Mai's arm, nor of how Mai's hand clamps over her companion's with a squeeze of her own that practically says 'We really got away with this, didn't we?' Good on Aira for keeping up the act for the both of them. After all, they're just friends enjoying a really fortunate turn of events! Nothing to see here— or everything to see. They really do make an eye-catching pair, friends or otherwise.

And a couple of pretty girls absolutely deserve desserts that are equally pretty in their presentation. This ice cream shop doesn't skimp on quality, right down to how every ingredient is arranged in a way to craft a really picture-perfect result— if Mai were the type to have enough patience to snap a photo before digging in, anyway. She's secretly glad that Aira doesn't waste any time, herself, a breath of fresh air from Mai's friends who spend way too long trying to stage the ideal photo to post. No need to worry about any melted scoops or deflated whipped cream, here!

Mai will take a dainty spoonful of the parfait and let the mild sweetness wash over her tongue as she watches amusedly at her date going to town on her sundae. When Aira beams happily at Mai, she can't resist thinking that her smile is delightfully sweet, certainly enough to put their treats to shame.

"Told you this place was worth it."

Worth the wait? Probably, even if Mai is definitely spoiled now for any future visits. Worth the price, though? Definitely, Mai will muse to herself as she scoops up another dollop of whipped cream and fruit past her lips.

"You know— I don't hear you offering me any of your sundae, Aira."

Though it's not like Mai is going out of her way to hold up a spoonful of her parfait to Aira's lips, sweetly beckoning her to say 'Ahh…'. She can oblige, of course— that kind of stuff is the hallmark of a date, isn't it? Aira will just have to go first, though, Mai has already decided!